Control valve



April 9, 1940. J. L. KOFAHL CONTROL VALVE Filed Sept. 22, 1939 hay/ Patented Apr. 9, 1940 PATENT OFFICE CONTROL VALVE Jacob L. Kofahl, Taft, Calif assignor to Baker Oil Tools, Inc., Huntington Park, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 22, 1939, Serial No. 296,056

' 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to control valves, and more particularly to valves of the type forming part of a running-in tubular string connected to a well device, as a cement retainer. Such control valves are incorporated in the running-in string near the well device to provide selective control of the passage of fluid from the string through the device, or between the annular space around the string and its interior.

Where the well device is employed in cementing, it is desirable to flush excess cement from the tubular string immediately after the cementing operation has been performed. This can be accomplished by opening the control valve and forcing any excess cement slurry downwardly from the string and thence upwardly through the annular space between it and the casing; or if a more rapid disposal is required, the fluid can be reversely circulated to force the excess upwardly through the running-in string to the surface of the bore. employed, pressure must be applied to the fluid around the tubing of a relatively high magnitude in view of the frictional resistance to flow offered by the sides of the relatively small diameter tubing. This frictional resistance is a'ggravated when quick setting cementitious material. is used, the viscosity of which increases very rapidly, making it imperative that any excess be washed out immediately after the cementing operation has been performed.

However desirable the rapid disposal of excess cement may be, it has heretofore been accompanied by the subjection of the formation to high pressures, which tend to displace the cementitious material from its region of deposition. An object of the present invention is, therefore, to permit circulation of fluid in either direction through or around the tubular string without subjecting the formation to the pressure action of the circulating fluid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a control valve particularly designed for use in connection with well devices, having several selective positions of operation: (1) to prevent passage of fluid through the device while permitting circulation between the tubular string and casing, or (2) to prevent circulation between the tubing and casing while directing p'assage of the fluid between the tubing and device,

or (3) to allow simultaneous passage of fluid I between the tubing and both the casing and well device.

The invention has other objects that will become apparent from a consideration of an em- Where this latter method is.

bodiment shown in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the present specification. This form will now be described in detail, but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in a limited sense since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a association with a well packer;

- Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the control valve with its parts in one position of adjustment;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the control valve parts in another position of adjustment; and

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken along the line 4-4 oi Figure 2. v

In Figure 1, a control valve A is shown in conjunction with a cement retainer B, to illustrate one of its specific applications. Its mandrel i0 is connected to the retainer through the agency of a sub H, while its tubing connection 12 is threadedly attached to a running-in tubular string of tubing or drlllpipe C, by means of which the cement retainer is lowered to its desired setting position within a well casing D.

The valve mandrel III is telescopically related to an enclosing cylinder or barrel [3 carrying control valve in a valve seat, at its lower end, and which is welded or otherwise secured to the tubing connection l2 at its other end. The mandrel and cylinder can slide with respect to each other, but they are positively interconnected for rotation by the engagement of splines I5 on the exterior of the mandrel with internal ribs l6 formed on the valve seat ll. However, it is to be noted that annular spaces l'l remain between the splines and ribs to provide a circumferential passage for fluid between the seat and mandrel.

A head I8 is welded or otherwise secured on the upper end of the valve mandrel l0, its lower surface l9 being engageable. with a sealing ring i3 with respect its movement through said passage when said,

formation are also subjected to the pressure applied to the circulating fluid, due to the communication of this fluid with the interior of the valve mandrel l0.

To avoid this condition, the nipple 22 is thread-' ed in the tubing connection I2, with its lower end entirely closed and formed as a valve head 24 adapted to cooperate with a valve seat 25 provided at the upper end of the mandrel and its head I8. A rubber or similar ring 26 is carriedby the nipple head to provide a leak proof seal between the mandrel interior and cylinder whenever the tubing string C has been lowered so as to engage the head 24 with its seat 25 (seeFigure 2). With the parts arranged in that manner, fluid cannot pass through the well device for action uponthe formation, its flow between the tubing C and casing D being confined to the passages 23, I1 between the mandrel and cylinder and the ports 2| provided in the side walls of the nipple. Circulation of fluid reversely or otherwise is therefore accomplished without subjecting the formation to the "pressure of the circulating fluid.

Not only is the flow control device or valve mechanism A useful in cementing operations, but it can be employed wherever selective flow con trol in a well is desirable. Another application is in connection with a production packer employed in multiple zone wells. By considering the device B as such a packer set in the casing between producing zones, its associated control valve incorporated in the tubing string will permit selective control of the well production through the string from either the zone below the packer, the zone above the packer, or simultaneously from both zones. In the .flrst two conditions of operation one or the other of the zones will be positively shut off from communication with the interior of the tubing.

I claim:

1. A flow control device, including an outer member, an inner member slidable longitudinally within said outer member and forming a fluid passage therewith, cooperable means for preventmembers are in one relative longitudinal podtion, and valve-means cooperable with said members adapted to prevent flow of fluid through said passage while permitting its movement through both of said members when they are in another relative longitudinal position. 3. A flow control device adapted to form part of a tubular string, including an outer member, an inner member slidable longitudinally within said outer member and forming a fluid-passage therewith, a valve head on one of said members engageable with a valve seat on the other of said members to prevent flow of fluid t ough said passage, and a valve head cooperab e with one of said members engageable with a valve seat cooperable with the other of said members to prevent flow of fluid through both of said members. 1

4. A flow control device adapted to form partot a tubular string, including an outer member, an inner member slidable within said outer member, a valve head on one of said members engageable with a valve seat on the other of said members to prevent flow of fluid between the interior and exterior of said outer member, and a valve head cooperable with one of said members engageable with a valve seat cooperable with the other of said members to prevent flow of fluid between said members.

5. A flow control device adapted to form part of a tubular string, including an outer member, an

.inner member slidably splined to said outer member for longitudinal movement withrespect thereto, valve means cooperable with said members to prevent flow of fluid between the interior and exterior of said outer member when said inner member is in its outermost longitudinal position, and valve means cooperable with said members to prevent passage of fluid therebetween when said inner member is in its innermost longitudinal position within said outer member.

6. A flow control device, including a connection for coupling said device in a tubular string, an outer tubular member attached to said connection, an inner tubular member slidably splined to said outer member for longitudinal movement with respect thereto and forming a passage therewith providing communication between the interior and exterior of said outer member, a valve seat carried by said outer member engageable with a valve head on said inner member to prevent flow of fluid through said passage when said inner member is in its outermost longitudinal position, anda nipple attached to said connection, said nipple having a valve head engageable with a valve seat on said inner member to prevent flow of fluid between said outer and inner members when said inner member is in its innermost longitudinal position.

7. A flow control device as defined in claim 6, said nipple being ported to allow fluid passage between its interior and said outer member.

JACOB L. KOFAHL. 

